At BMS we welcome adult students of all ages, levels and abilities for individual and group music instruction on most instruments and voice. Take a look at our current offerings below!
Please note: you may self-register for group classes and community ensembles. For questions about registration, or to inquire about the Adult Band series, please reach out to registrar@brooklynmusicschool.org.
For financial aid inquiries, please contact financialaid@brooklynmusicschool.org
adult Group classes + Community ensembles:
FALL 2024
Adult music production & songwriting
Saturdays 11:30-12:30pm, 9/7/2024-1/25/2025
Sundays 2:30- 3:30pm, 9/8/2024-1/26/2025
Learn music production and work on your own projects! In this course we will learn the basics of music production and audio recording. Students will acquire production skills that can be used in any software as well as learn the fundamentals of synthesizers and other analog hardware. The class will be centered around weekly projects with creative prompts and a final project of our own compositions. Good for beginners and those with some experience that want to take it a step further.
Adult guitar lab
Wednesdays 6:30- 7:30pm, 9/11/2024-1/22/2025
This Guitar Workshop is for aspiring guitarists as well as guitarists with some experience! Learn/review the basics and improve your melodic and chord skills!
GROUP PIANO I
Saturdays 1:00- 2:00pm, 9/7/2024-1/25/2025
This group piano class is for adult students who are complete beginners. This class will provide a working understanding of the piano, and help kickstart your piano journey! We will cover reading music, major scales, basic chord shapes, and enough music theory to breakdown straightforward pop songs. There will be weekly homework assignments as we develop our piano skills. There will be two performances at BMS (not required, but encouraged!)
GROUP PIANO II
Wednesdays 6:30 - 7:30pm, 9/11/2024-1/22/2025
Prerequisite: Adult Group Piano I
This is the second level of our adult group piano classes. This course directly builds on level 1 and takes you from beginner to intermediate level playing. The curriculum is divided into 3 sections: Minor keys and Minor Harmony, Jazz and Improvisation, and Intro to Composition. We will work through a canon of piano classics such as “Für Elise” and “Canon in D.” Additionally, this course enables pianists to play the piano without having follow a specific composition, instead building on our theory knowledge to improvise and compose. There are monthly performance opportunities on the first Monday of every month, as well as in BMS Recitals and shows!
ADULT piano LAB
Saturdays 3:30-4:30pm, 9/7/2024-1/25/2025
Prerequisite: Adult Group Piano I + II
The Adult Piano Lab is a group class for intermediate and advancing adult piano students. This course will delve deeper into music theory in order to foster improvisation and composition skills. By the end of this course students will have the knowledge and facility to sit down and improvise a piece in a variety of different styles (pop, jazz, and classical). Additionally, students will work through some larger classical pieces together. There are monthly performance opportunities on the first Monday of every month, as well as in BMS Recitals and shows!
INTRO TO MUSIC THEORY
Saturdays 1:00-2:00pm, 9/7/2024-1/25/2025
This class is geared toward adult musicians who are interested in taking a deeper look into the mechanics of music. The course presents basic music theory using several modules such as ear training, harmony (learning about chords), analyzing song structure (learning about form), and Songwriting as a vehicle. Rather than a solely written/academic approach to understanding theory, this class will allow adults to learn music theory while making connections to other musical concepts.
ORCHESTRA
Tuesdays 6:30-8:00pm, 9/10/2024-6/24/2025
In this ensemble for experienced players, we will explore classical and contemporary repertoire for orchestra and chamber ensemble.
Registered students, please fill out this form to let us know more about your instrument, musical interests, and experience level!
world percussion ensemble
Mondays 6:30-8:00 9/9/2024-6/23/2024
Open to students of any experience level! Students will learn and develop rhythmic skills in different time signatures, tempos, and feels in a welcoming and supportive environment. Using hand drums such as the djembe and the congas, students will practice a variety of exercises to increase power and dexterity. After gaining solid technique on the drums, students will learn rhythms from the Congo, West Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and Trinidad - all of which will improve rhythmic vocabulary and musicality!
ADult band series
We’ll match you with fellow adults based on your skill level and musical interests!
BMS Jazz, Rock, Funk, and Motown Ensembles meet for 90-minute weekly rehearsals over the course of a semester or academic year. Each ensemble will create a set list of their own and have opportunities to participate in events such as the NYC Marathon, Atlantic Antic, and more.
Please contact the registrar to inquire about openings - registrar@brooklynmusicschool.org
Not seeing what you’re looking for? Let us know!
Click below to fill out our adult programming inquiry form.